And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
The gathering followed the finding of the book of the law in the house of the Lord, which Josiah first heard for himself, then tore his garments and directed men in holy office to inquire of the Lord because Israel had departed from the statutes. He acted to leave nothing undone that might bring about a reformation. He did so in hope that something might still be done to turn aside the judgment to be sent, because the leaven of evil permeated the principles and morals of the whole nation.
He summoned to the house of the Lord a general assembly of the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, including the elders of the people, the magistrates and the representatives, together with the priests and the prophets and others engaged in various parts of the Lord's service. In that calling together of all the men of Israel, all joined in the deliberations of the assembly as the whole congregation. The words of the book were read in the hearing of the congregation so that the sin of rulers and people was pointed out.
Before the congregation he stood up, confessed his transgression, wept before the Lord, humbled himself and manifested repentance. He made a covenant to keep the statutes of the Lord with his whole heart, and the whole congregation entered into a solemn covenant to keep the commandments of Jehovah. He did not rest until the people did all they could to return from backsliding and serve the living God, and God accepted his thorough repentance and reformation.
The gathering is the work for today, when God has opened the book of the law so that backslidden hearers face the commandments and transgression stands revealed. All must repent of past evil and reform as light shines on the pathway, seeking God with all the heart. All must believe God means just what He says and make no compromise with evil. All must humble themselves greatly and count any loss preferable to loss of His favor, since the wrath of God for trampling the precepts of Heaven will rest upon every soul that does not repent and reform.
The gathering followed the finding of the book of the law in the house of the Lord, which Josiah first heard for himself, then tore his garments and directed men in holy office to inquire of the Lord because Israel had departed from the statutes. He acted to leave nothing undone that might bring about a reformation. He did so in hope that something might still be done to turn aside the judgment to be sent, because the leaven of evil permeated the principles and morals of the whole nation.
He summoned to the house of the Lord a general assembly of the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, including the elders of the people, the magistrates and the representatives, together with the priests and the prophets and others engaged in various parts of the Lord's service. In that calling together of all the men of Israel, all joined in the deliberations of the assembly as the whole congregation. The words of the book were read in the hearing of the congregation so that the sin of rulers and people was pointed out.
Before the congregation he stood up, confessed his transgression, wept before the Lord, humbled himself and manifested repentance. He made a covenant to keep the statutes of the Lord with his whole heart, and the whole congregation entered into a solemn covenant to keep the commandments of Jehovah. He did not rest until the people did all they could to return from backsliding and serve the living God, and God accepted his thorough repentance and reformation.
The gathering is the work for today, when God has opened the book of the law so that backslidden hearers face the commandments and transgression stands revealed. All must repent of past evil and reform as light shines on the pathway, seeking God with all the heart. All must believe God means just what He says and make no compromise with evil. All must humble themselves greatly and count any loss preferable to loss of His favor, since the wrath of God for trampling the precepts of Heaven will rest upon every soul that does not repent and reform.